1. Field of the Invention
The invention pertains to the field of sports equipment. More particularly, the invention pertains to a protective eyewear device designed primarily for the sports of field hockey and women's lacrosse.
2. Description of Related Art
The game of lacrosse is considered as the oldest team contact sport of North American origin. Historical evidence suggests that the game of lacrosse was played by various Indian tribes, such as the Iroquois and Hurons, as early in time as the 15th century. It generally is accepted that the original purpose of the sport of lacrosse was to physically and/or psychologically condition Indian warriors preparatory to actual combat or, in some instances, to itself function as a game forum for the settlement of tribal differences.
Because lacrosse is a rough contact sport, the potential for serious injuries is high and injuries are not uncommon, thus protective equipment is needed. More particularly, players can be injured by bodily contact with one another, and from stick checking (wherein a player uses the lacrosse stick to strike another player's stick) or other incidental contact with the lacrosse stick. Further, the modern lacrosse ball is made of a relatively dense rubber or rubber-like synthetic material, weighing approximately 140–150 grams and traveling at high speeds during play, thus, contact with the ball also can cause injuries. Therefore, a variety of protective equipment is used to avoid injuries. Such equipment includes, for example, protective gloves, various configurations of arm pads and shoulder pads, and modern helmets, which normally include a full face guard element. Also, the goal-keeper usually wears additional protective equipment, such as knee and shin guards and torso padding. Even with the use of such protective gear, injuries still are not uncommon in lacrosse, due to the aggressive nature of the sport.
Since the inception of the sport, lacrosse has evolved to become a popular team sport at high schools and colleges across the United States, and many modern schools now have both women's and men's lacrosse teams. Generally, different rules apply to men's and women's lacrosse leagues, and the protective equipment commonly used by male and female lacrosse players often differs. For example, generally, less physical contact is allowed in women's lacrosse, and therefore helmets with full face guards usually are not required. Instead, women's lacrosse employs a protective eyewear device to help avoid injuries, should an incidental contact occur in the area of the eyes.
The most common type of protective eyewear used in women's lacrosse is a pair of goggles, typically made from a polycarbonate material. Indeed, many women's lacrosse leagues require such eyewear by regulation. However, the protective eyewear of the prior art has numerous problems. For example, it is prone to glaring in the sun and fogging, particularly in cold, wet or humid weather. Further, it impedes players' vision, particularly the peripheral vision and the inferior or downward view (contributing to neck strain), and it can become scratched or marred, thereby further impairing players' vision. Furthermore, it can crack, craze or become brittle, and is susceptible to shattering upon impact, creating its own hazards. Moreover, the most common protective eyewear of the prior art does not provide ample protection against the potential impact of a lacrosse ball traveling at high-speed during play, because it is so rigid that it passes the full force of impact onto the user's face. Thus, there is a need for an improved protective eyewear device for sports use, particularly women's lacrosse.